The first vehicle developed specifically for the Cupra brand, the Formentor coupe-styled crossover with seating for five people, is pretty cool in every respect. Much cooler than a Volkswagen Golf, that’s for sure, but don’t forget that all engine options are shared with the German hatchback.
For the 2021 model year, SEAT-owned Cupra will level up to an exciting Audi engine. The range-topping Formentor will be known as the VZ5, and if you’re wondering about the nameplate, fret not because VZ is derived from the Spanish word Veloz (fast), with 5 denominating the number of cylinders.
To be revealed on the brand’s third anniversary on February 22nd, the Formentor VZ5 “is the ultimate technology transfer between the racing world and the road cars.” Wishful thinking aside, the 2.5-liter TFSI engine is definitely unique in this day and age because of its aural qualities.
“The CUPRA Formentor represents the essence of the brand,” said president Wayne Griffiths. “The addition of an even more extreme five-cylinder engine to the family – along with seven other powertrains that include performance PHEVs - will mark it out as a true enthusiast vehicle.”
For some reason or another, the design department couldn’t do better than copy the exhaust system of the Lexus IS-F for the Audi-engined Formentor VZ5. We're not talking about the latest and the greatest incarnation of the Japanese sports sedan, but the original that was revealed in January 2007 together with the LF-A Concept.
Spied on numerous occasions playing in the snow and driving on public roads, the compact crossover is expected to crank out in the ballpark of 400 horsepower. Audi, by comparison, may upgrade the RS 3 to 420 ponies.
Lower down the spectrum, the Formentor offers the 1.5-liter TSI, 2.0-liter TSI, 2.0-liter TDI, and the e-Hybrid 1.4-liter TSI. The most interesting of the lot develops 310 PS (306 horsepower) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque, figures that mirror the output of the seventh-generation VW Golf R.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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